Card file



Oct. 14, 1941'. i c, WALKER 2,258,666

CARD

Filed June 4, 1940 I INVENT OR. ou/ij W W m? Patented Oct. 14, 1941 *OFFICE CARD FILE Application June 4, 1940, Serial No. 338,759

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in card file boxes and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Card file boxes of the kind consist of an open top box with a flat bottom and vertical end and front and rear walls. Generally it is provided with a hinged lid adapted to close upon the open top body. In boxes of the kind wherein the cards occupy an approximately vertical position, it is difficult when separating them to examine the data on one or the other of them to maintain them in the desired separated position with the card under examination in View. They are apt, unless held by hand, to fall back to first position towards the back of the box, or to fall forward against the front of the box.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a box of the kind a supplemental support for the cards so formed that the cards will remain separated, with one part of them inclined towards the front and the other card or cards to be examined, inclined towards the rear, so that they remain after separation in that position, without holding them by hand, with those at the rear readily visible to the one using the file.

Another object of the invention is to provide a card file box provided with a supplemental card support of the kind which may be readily and easily manufactured at small cost.

The advantages of the invention will be obvious to those familiar with the art.

In the drawing Figure l is a perspective view of a card file box with the file cards mounted therein, said box being provided with the improved supplemental support and in this case being provided with a hinged lid.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the supplemental card support as it appears when removed from the box.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through Figure 1 in a plane indicated by line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing: II] indicates the file box provided as shown with a hinged lid II adapted to be closed upon the box, with the tops of the cards projecting up into the lid II. I2 indicates the cards. Said cards are of familiar kind and include index dividing cards of the same dimensions as the filing cards, with upstanding tabs I3 which project above the level of the cards and which are offset horizontally as usual.

I4 indicates the supplemental support for the cards. Said support comprises a bottom member I5 of approximately the length of the cards, and upwardly projecting front and back wings I6, I! which are inclined or adapted to be inclined at an obtuse angle to the bottom wall I5, as clearly shown in the drawing. The supplemental card supporting member I 4 is made of any suitable flexible material, preferably of hard, thin fiber.

The box It! itself is formed to provide about its open top a continuous upright flange I8 offset inwardly from the plane of the vertical walls of the box, to provide a horizontal shoulder I9, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The lid II when closed upon the box embraces said flange and rests upon the shoulder I9.

The supplemental card supporting member I4 is disposed in the box with its bottom wall I5 upon the bottom of the box as shown in Figure 3, and with its front and rear wings I6, I! inclined upwardly towards the front and the rear where they are engaged at their top edges below and retained in place by the aforesaid shoulder IS. The flexibility of its wings I6 and I I makes it possible to insert the supplemental support Id in the box in the manner above described.

To insert the same it is placed in the box with the top edge of its wall I6 engaged under the shoulder I 9 at the front wall of the box. By reason of the flexibility of the material, the wing I1 may be then bent to bring its top edge under the shoulder 19 at the rear of the box. Thereupon the cards are placed in the box in the usual manner, but in supporting relation upon the supplemental card support I4.

To facilitate the manipulation of the wing II, when first placing the supplemental support in the box, or if desired when removing said support therefrom, one of the walls of said card support, as shown, the rear wing I1, is provided with a notch I'I deep enough to accommodate the thumb or finger when manipulating said wall in engaging it or disengaging it below the shoulder I9.

The operation of the supplemental support is clearly illustrated in the drawing. When an index card or other card is selected and it is shifted forward together with the cards ahead of it, if there be any, to bring a card back of it to view, the card or cards forward of it will be brought to a forwardly inclined position, leaving the card in view and the other cards back of it in a rearwardly inclined position. And this posi-- tion is automatically maintained as will be readproviding an inwardly extending horizontal shoulder near the-tops of said front and rear walls, a supplemental card support comprising a. bottom member approximately the length of the bottom wall of said box and upright wings, said wings being rearwardly and forwardly inclined and being of a depth to be engaged under said shoulders.

LOUIS C. WALKER. 

